Tag Archives: Mark Tucker

Steve Spurrier and all of his assistants have received contract extensions since season’s end. (Photo: John Raoux/AP)

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]teve Spurrier was given a two-year contract extension in December. Now, it’s his assistants’ turn.

The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees approved two-year contracts for Deke Adams, Kirk Botkin, Grady Brown, Shawn Elliott, G.A. Mangus, Joe Robinson, Everette Sands and Steve Spurrier Jr. All are signed through the 2014 season.

Defensive Coordinator Lorenzo Ward was given a three-year contract and is signed through the 2015 season.

Earlier this month, Elliott, who is in his fourth year on Spurrier’s staff, interviewed for the offensive line opening at Alabama but chose to remain at South Carolina.

“Whenever you have an outstanding season as we have had each of the past two years, it’s important to reward the coaches with two-year contracts. Hopefully, we can continue that success in the coming years,” Spurrier said in a statement.

Adams, the Gamecocks’ defensive line coach, was hired from North Carolina in January. Botkin, Brown, Robinson and Sands joined the staff prior to the 2012 season. The other coaches have all been at Carolina five or more years.

“Coach Spurrier and his staff have propelled us into a Top Ten program and we appreciate what they have done at Carolina,” said athletic director Ray Tanner. “Our coaching staff is among the best in the country and their new contracts compensate them accordingly.”

Ex-Oregon quarterback Nate Costa returns to the Ducks as a GA

Nate Costa, who played quarterback at Oregon from 2006-10, will return to the program as a graduate assistant.

A string of knee injuries hampered what appeared to be a promising playing career. After playing in two games as a freshman in 2006, Costa missed the 2007 season with torn ligaments. He was named the starter going into 2008, but missed all of that year after suffering another knee injury in the pre-season . He was able to come back and play parts of two more seasons before a third serious knee injury ended his career in November of 2010.

A brief stint working in law enforcement was also cut short by his knee problems. Since then, he has been a television analyst for Comcast SportsNet.

“It’s been a long road to what I want to do,” Costa said. “I loved the TV work, but I missed the competition factor. And I really like watching young players develop and improve. I’m so excited about this opportunity to get into coaching.”

Costa played under new Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich in 2009-10 and knows life as a graduate assistant won’t be glamorous.

“I’ll be doing a lot of the stuff the assistant coaches don’t want to do,” Costa said with a smile. “A lot of film study, breaking down the film and data entry.”

Kent State’s Clark promoted to run game coordinator

Kent State coach Paul Haynes has promotedShawn Clark to run game coordinator. Clark joined the staff in early January as the offensive line coach. His name was recently mentioned in conjunction with the offensive line opening at West Virginia, who ultimately hired Stanford’s Ron Crook. Prior to Kent State, Clark spent four seasons as the offensive line coach at Purdue and six seasons as the offensive line coach at Eastern Kentucky.

Newberry’s Cedric Williams adds assistant head coach title

Newberry’s Todd Knight has added the assistant head coach title to offensive line coach Cedric Williams. Williams, an all-SEC offensive lineman at South Carolina, is entering his third season at Newberry. He came to Newberry after one season as the offensive line coach at Mississippi Valley State (2010). Before that, Williams was offensive line coach at Tennessee State (2009).

Aaron Price named offensive coordinator at Hawaii

Price will coach wide receivers while 11-year NFL player Chris Naeole, who joined the staff Feb. 11, will coach the offensive line. Returning coaches Phil Rauscher and Chris Wiesehan, will oversee the tight ends and running backs, respectively.vChow will continue to coach the quarterbacks with assistance from new graduate assistant Jordan Wynn. In addition, Keith Uperesa will move to director of player personnel.

Price comes to Hawaii after spending the past nine seasons on his father Mike’s staff at UTEP. From 2004-06, he was quarterbacks and kickers coach and moved over to wide receivers and kickers coach in 2007. Since 2008, he has served as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and kickers coach. Prior to UTEP, Price was the quarterbacks coach at Washington State from 2001-02.

Charleston Southern’s Chadwell tabs Mark Tucker as quarterbacks coach

Mark Tucker has been named quarterback coach on Jamey Chadwell’s staff at Charleston Southern. Tucker coached Chadwell at East Tennessee State, where Tucker coached the offensive line one season and running backs and tight ends for two years. Tucker spent six seasons as an assistant at The Citadel, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Most recently, he was the head coach of the Mountain Empire Warriors, a semi-pro football team in the NAFL and was also head coach Hargrave Military Academy.